How to Transport a Kayak Without a Roof Rack?

It’s easy to transport a kayak wherever and whenever you want as long as you have a secure and stable roof rack.

But your car doesn’t have a roof rack? We will tell you How to Transport a Kayak Without a Roof Rack?

Worry no more! You need three letters and two words…

D.I.Y or Do It Yourself roof rack and kayak trailers.

Of course! You can make your own roof rack, and yak trailers are available on the market. These will help you transport your kayak and enjoy the weir and rapids of kayaking.

So, here are the things you should know:

Are you ready?

Let’s haul!

Transporting a Kayak Without a Roof Racks

Roof Rack System

Quality is an important factor for a roof rack to be stable and secure, yet it comes with a price. Roof racks of bars and metal can be quite expensive for some due to high-quality specifications.

Here are the components that make this system expensive: aerodynamics, high-quality materials, and weight distribution.

Yes, it is properly engineered and comes with good and reliable features, which is why you’ll pay extra cost.

But then…

…not everyone would want an expensive roof rack, especially if they don’t use it frequently. Others prefer to buy second-hand and cheap ones on the market or rent trailers.

And if you’re the crafty and thrifty type…

…you’d choose to build your roof rack to save more money.

So, you’re in the right direction!

There are a lot of ways to do this, depending on the available materials at hand or on the market. As you read on, you’ll learn the whats and hows.

Why Wouldn’t I Want to Use a Roof Rack?

Is it expensive?

Sure it is – yet understandable why.

Roof rack affects the car’s wind resistance, thus increasing fuel consumption. For this reason, manufacturers design roof racks that would lessen the drag to increase gas mileage which makes it more expensive.

What’s the catch?

If you’re not using it frequently to load up materials and bulky things – you need to remove it. And most of the time, we use car trunks to load up things.

However, this is not the case for kayaks…

…it will not fit on car trunks regardless of how wide the trunk is.

Have you seen people doing it?

Well, it’s not a bad decision for you…but your kayak and car. It could damage your car and kayak due to abrasions. And this will only add to your expenses by buying new ones. Thus, people would opt to invest in roof rack systems or make their own.

But is it really worth it? – you’ll see.

How much money do you need to spend for transporting a Kayak Without a Roof Rack?

There are a lot of factors that could affect how you spend. So, you’ll need to extra analyze your needs and specific budget on certain things.

Here, you can spend more or less a hundred or thousand bucks depending on the way you’ll be transporting your kayak.

If your car has an attached roof rack: You will spend on ratchet straps for stability and security.

While if you don’t, you can opt to…

What Things You’ll Need for transporting a kayak without a roof rack?

Pool Noodles or Foam Blocks

You can use either pool noodles or foam blocks as a base to support your kayak.

Pool noodles and foam blocks are flexible and durable. It also prevents abrasion, given that it has a thick and heavy-duty quality to handle the weight of your kayak.

You might encounter pool noodles that are much longer than your vehicle – cut them into your desired size. Two pool noodles are enough, but you can add more.

Remember: Place foam blocks or pool noodles evenly on your car roof. It will secure and stabilize your kayak and prevent abrasions.

Avoid placing it on the sunroof, otherwise, it might affect the quality of the pool noodles and foam block.

After doing so…

Ensure that you place your kayak upside down. Seek the help of other individuals if the kayak’s too heavy for you.

Buckle up ratchet straps!

If you think you positioned your kayak in the right place and you spread it alright – go get your ratchet strap.

You need to place the ratchet straps over the kayak while keeping the buckle on the other side. Check if the straps are twisted on the kayak’s body if you don’t want your kayak shaking when you’re ready to go.

Here’s the thing…

Twisted straps on the kayak body are a big no, BUT you need to twist straps on the sides of your kayak to aid in wind vibration.

After this…

Open your vehicle doors, throw the ratchet strap to the other side, and run it through the buckle. Don’t forget to make the twist and insert the strap ends through the clasp.

Pull it tightly until you know for sure that it is secure, and then tie the ends of the strap inside your car. Try to shake your kayak just to make sure everything is stable.

Tie-down loops at your rescue

Moving on to the front side of your car…

Open the hood of your car and place two tie-down loops on both sides of your car or vehicle. Close the hood and pull the loops making sure that it’s a close fit.

Run another rope or tie-down strap through the loop into the front handle of the kayak (bow handle) and finally on the other side (you can secure it on the stern as well).

Tie it all down using any kind of knot style that you know. Just make sure that it is secure and reliable.

You can use this method even if you want to transport two kayaks at the same time.

Can I use other materials?

Of course! You can use PVC pipes inserted in pool noodles and rest them on your vehicle’s roof. But this will require another level of your skills.

But, you can do it!

To do this: You need to drill a hole in your half-inch PVC pipes so that the rope will come through the hole. From there, slide the pool noodles or vice versa.

Bring the rope inside your vehicle and tie a regular knot. You can double or triple the knot as long as you feel that it will not depress.

You don’t need to worry about where to buy these materials. They are available in hardware stores, automotive stores, and on the market.

Are there other methods aside from these?

Sure there is!

If your budget permits…

…you could purchase yak trailers and attach them to your vehicle. However, the price varies on trailers. You might spend thousands of dollars on less expensive trailers and more on high-quality ones.

The advantage of yak trailers are the following:

Not only that…

If you instantly bought a new kayak from a different place – yak trailers can be a good help.

You have more options to transport a kayak – it doesn’t solely depend on your budget but how you’ll have a safe and comfortable trip.